Taking the next steps

Scott Green has been with Moorcroft's Public Works since August 2020 and oversaw his fellow crewmen when former department director Cory Allison was not in town and under the interim department management of Ben Glenn.

His application for director was approved by the governing body at the August 13 meeting of the town council and, after two weeks in his official capacity as director of public works, he talks about where his department stands now and where he wants to be in a year and beyond.

Green has a plan to lead Moorcroft, with the approval and support of the council, in a direction that directly leads to the, "betterment for the community: safer streets, better parks, nicer infrastructure – I think that with time and work, we can develop and implement that".

Among the changes Green wants to implement in the future is an increase in the number of trees in all four town parks. Though he recognizes the endeavor will be a long-time process, "I hope to start in the next year."

The director also wants to carry on with the purchase of new playground equipment for the Texas Trail Park this fiscal year as well as assist in the move of the municipal offices to the MTC within this fiscal year.

At the moment, the department is working on points of failing concrete around town, including the west entrance steps of the gymnasium at the MTC, the alley east of Diel's Grocery, a portion of sidewalk surrounding a recently installed meter pit and a portion of walking path.

"It's become a safety concern," he says.

Green anticipates the completion of these jobs withing the next couple of weeks.

The crew has installed a triad of flag poles at the east entrance of the MTC and the director hopes to get approval from the governing body for a municipal flag to join the United States and Wyoming State flags.

He wants to put the town logo with a steer skull resting on a wagon wheel on the pennant with the date the town was established. Anyone interested in seeing the emblem may do so on the public works department t-shirts.

Green's ultimate vision of Moorcroft with his department and the council working together is to see, "a place where both residents and tourists can enjoy the town and its beauty. It's a very pretty little town."

The Public Works Department currently employs Green and two crewmen, Dave Elliott and Justin Thomas. Cody Amende, who had worked in the department for a few years, has tendered his resignation and finished his severance this week.

Green plans to seek another crewman to replace Amende with the approval of the governing body, to fill out the department.

Each week's work varies for the men of public works, but water and wastewater tests are a constant as well as work orders to be done and emergencies that pop up on top of the prioritized weekly work schedule written on a white board at the maintenance shop.

This week has the concrete work, repairing a handrail at the MTC as well as repairing damage on the street in front of the clinic. Until the sprinklers are turned off, they also mow and trim the parks.

Green came to Moorcroft from Gillette's water department, where he worked for nine years as the senior water operator and operations foreman, managing the treatment of the city's water. While the director and his wife still reside in Gillette for his wife's business, he enjoys working in Moorcroft.

Having come from a town of 980 residents, Green appreciates the attributes of the small town.